Thursday 12 March 2015

Various Artists [The Female Touch]

Really enjoyed playing this two disc set today, unlike other 'poppy' female discs, this has some real clever tracks, it's a great introduction to a number of Artists that you may have overlooked, makes you want to explore some more, i played / reviewed this disc just over 4 years ago [13th July 2010], every time i play these discs i seem to come away with a new favourite track.

Now visually this is a great presentation, love the front booklet cover, half a face, lots of out of focus, except for that eye, also the back inlay is a lesson in how to present a track listing, so easy to read, Artists in pink, tracks in black, why do other release make things harder?.

The tracks that really touched me were 5, 7, 20, 29 & 37, and surprisingly it was the last track on disc 1 that really got me going, 'Silent All These Years' by Tori Amos, i've never been a Tori Amos fan, i've tried some of her music, but i just can't get into her, this is the first time i've really listened to this song, and i love the lyrics, they're so cryptic at times, take this little gem in the middle,

Years go by
If i'm stripped of my beauty
And the orange clouds
Raining in my head

I take it she's singing about her ginger hair, and as she ages she will go grey [grey clouds?], a nice imagery, i love the intro, very Classical, i think she's lifted it from some composition, but i just can't put my finger on which one, a sort of generally discordant prelude that clashes in a nice way, when the lyrics come in, there's these beautiful treble chimes, now that's just delicious, there's an overall cleverness in little touches, tempo and volume to great effect, think i'll look out for more of her individual songs on Various Artists albums.

Here's Tori Amos singing 'Silent All These Years' on YouTube.